Fusion Message Board

In this space, visitors are invited to post any comments, questions, or skeptical observations about Philo T. Farnsworth's contributions to the field of Nuclear Fusion research.

Subject: Re: Yet another fusor attempt
Date: Sep 21, 10:01 pm
Poster: Carl Willis

On Sep 21, 10:01 pm, Carl Willis wrote:

The reason I was thinking of a hot outer grid(anode), grounded cathode grid and grounded vacuum vessel might be flawed, but I figured that the negative chamber wall would deflect electrons before striking the chamber walls and thus keep them in circulation.

It could be that having them hit the walls is a good thing because of a high secondary yield. Simplicity is an advantage of the hot negative inner grid that you recommend, and indeed the discharge-up-the-feedline is not even an issue. I am still considering my options here.

I will mention that I planned to insulate the high-voltage leads / structural supports for the grids with multiple coaxial layers of glass tubing. Is there a better plan for doing this that anyone can recommend?

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As the anode in the fusor is normally the outer shell, it is traditionally held at a hard GROUND potential with the cathode geodesic grid system at a high negative potential with respect to the safely grounded case or chamber. ...I recommend you not run a hot anode. RH
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>>Getting this voltage through the stainless vacuum vessel will be an adventure.
>

I saw the ideas about using spark plugs- interesting, and definitely a plus for the budget. Those conflat-with-insulator fittings are darn expensive!